Draft letter from the Solicitor General
M. P. Mehaignerie
Ministre D'Etat, Garde des Sceaux,
Ministre de la Justice,
13 Place Vendome,
75042 Paris
Cedex 01 FRANCE
29 July 1993
EXTRADITION DE M. RAIS BIN SANIMAN
I very much enjoyed meeting you in Paris and the opportunity to discuss informally such a wide range of issues at the Embassy. It was kind of you to spare so much time the following day to hear why the UK and Hong Kong
and Hong Kong Governments attach So much importance to securing the return of Monsieur Saniman to stand his trial in Hong Kong.
As I said at the meeting, the application to the Counseil d'Etat was made only because of the firm refusal of the extradition application by your predecessor and the absence of response to the recours gracieux. Your agreement to consider whether the matter can be resolved without awaiting a judgment from the Counseil d'Etat is most welcome.
As promised at the meeting, I am sending a note of the advice we have received from our French lawyers about the question of a resolution without awaiting the decision of the Counseil. In addition, I am forwarding a note developing the points made at our meeting about the quality of justice in Hong Kong because this is a factor which your law clearly requires you to take into
account.
[Suitable diplomatic ending to be suggested by Matthew Rycroft?]